PHOTOS and COLUMN: Locals join in national "No Kings" movement.

Meadville's Diamond Park had roughly 400 "No Kings" protestors Saturday morning while Franklin saw around 250 on all four corners of Liberty and 12th Streets in front of the Venango County Courthouse.

Meadville's 11 a.m. rally was cold with some snow in the air. They had speakers, music and dozens of signs around the gazebo.

In Franklin the protestors pointed their signs out toward Liberty Street with many cars honking horns and a few flipping the bird out their windows.

Overall no major issues were reported and these communities added their totals to the millions nationwide taking part in the protests.

Below are more photos from both events and an editorial column.

Column

Seldom do two people think exactly alike. But we all  tend to gravitate toward like-minded people. We go to the church with people most closely aligned with our spiritual beliefs, we join political parties based on whether we fancy ourselves more conservative or more progressive and we join friend groups based on common interests and senses of humor.

Currently in this country, in large-part due to the constant influx of media in our lives from addictive electronic devises and constant connectivity, we understand those groups and opposing view points more strongly than ever. It's truly volatile at times.

Earlier today I learned of an old friend and colleague, who I couldn't be further apart from politically, was having heart issues recently. It put a lump in my throat reading about what he is going through.This is a dude, even though I think his ideas are full of you know what that I care deeply for and always will.

We disagree. So what!

​We share being human, having philosophies, sometimes the same air and we converse as civilized people do giving each other our thoughts. Yes occasionally we shake our heads at each other and I'm sure we would raise our voices to the point of shouting at times, but we still would help each other out in a bar fight and we support each other having an opinion.

At least we have one and are not afraid to express it.

Sounds like the United States of America to me.

​Our founding fathers didn't want us to agree on everything. That's why they gave us the right to disagree, the right to express ourselves freely and the right to believe how we wished to believe.

We should disagree. That is how we find out that we are sometimes full of you know what. My friend has opened my eyes at times, though he probably does think he has, just as I don't think I've really opened his eyes to my point of view. Doesn't keep us from trying.

I have covered rallies and protests on all sorts of issues from people I tend to agree with and those I do not. I do my very best to cover them the same - tell a story about what is taking place in front of me.

​I covered a kkk rally in Meadville years ago. As I covered the event I truly couldn't believe me ears, but I documented it even though I got incredibly sad for the human race. 

As a journalist it is not my job to have emotional reactions that sway the way I do my work. 

Is that 100% possible. No, but there are ways to still be fair. Covering these events are important to let more people know how others think. That other viewpoints are out there within our community.

During COVID I covered anti-mask rallies and I've covered Trump rallies where I listened and documented trying to show the passion of the people, who were among others of like-mind trying to get their voices heard. I was there to listen even if I didn't agree with what I heard.

Today I felt the same, it didn't matter if I agreed or not with a sign or sang along with a song, it was about those there doing what they were doing. 

Standing there I really got to thinking about the importance of local journalism, not just because of the local coverage of these events, but because of the forum for viewpoints from all sides. I saw several people today who I know write letters to the editor or write columns to share their opinions.

With newspapers fading and some even dying, it is a loss of a truly educated forum where the letters are spell checked and vetted for a level of accuracy behind the opinions before they are printed. Social media does not do this and therefore chaos often reins in the comment section.

As I thought about this I was happy to see Jamie Hunt at the rally today in Franklin and Shannon Roae in Meadville. The Tribune is still printing five days a week and have increased their coverage of Venango sports and events to give a print option still to their neighboring county. The Derrick has moved entirely online and is still producing a digital newspaper as well as continuing as a website. I didn't see Explore there, but I wouldn't surprised to find they were there. 

It appears the area is still being covered and for now, still producing forums for ideologies to have a voice and our times documented for historical purposes. It is important that we find a way to make sure this continues.

Back to these rallies, both rallies were better attended than the last "No Kings" rallies in both locations. And it was pretty cold out there, especially the morning event in Meadville where snow was falling at the beginning. So that is encouraging that people were taking part.

It was uplifting seeing people using their voices, and even their finger at times, to stand up for their beliefs. It was uplifting seeing my colleagues in news there covering the events in order that tomorrow they can help create further discussions and rally people's emotions enough to at least think about where they might stand on the issues before us.

It is how we become more intelligent, better informed and better qualified to speak our minds with others.

It is how we know we are Americans.